Reviews

I never thought I'd need a divorce lawyer but when I found myself pregnant going through a divorce I knew I'd need one that would advocate for me and my baby boy. From the minute I met Phil Newman we just clicked. His warm, caring nature together with his no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase way makes him a bulldog of a lawyer. In the end, the way he fights for what's best for the CHILD is what sets him apart. And he's had to put me in my place a few times, but I've always been better as a result. Now having been divorced 8+ years and going through several post-divorce rounds of parenting plan changes, I can't recommend Phil and his team highly enough. Especially Alisha Warner who is my other lawyer and who has walked with me as well through the past 8 years. She is an incredibly hard worker and has gut instincts that recently helped me settle a really hard situation in mediation. I can't recommend the whole team at Puryear, Newman & Morton highly enough - they are ALL incredible to work with and ultimately fight for what's best for everyone in the long run.

Phil Newman is an excellent divorce attorney, professional and thorough. He and his team were responsive to all my questions and concerns. I was very pleased with the fair settlement that was reached. He also provided good advice pre and post divorce.

Phil was highly recommended to me by a long-time friend who had recently gone through a divorce and was in a very similar situation to mine. I have two young boys and was the breadwinner in my household, which is very relevant because I had a hard time accepting the role reversal of my situation. I knew within 5 minutes of sitting down with Phil and his paralegal, Julie, that I didn’t need to look any further. Phil is a busy lawyer (which means he’s good lawyer) so he can be hard to pin down at times, BUT he was always there when I needed him – responding to texts and phone calls at night, early morning and over the weekend. He and Julie not only counseled me through the technical aspects of the divorce, but the emotional aspects as well. Phil would empathize with me and validate my feelings, but he also told me what I needed to hear even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Thankfully, we were able to settle my divorce in mediation. Phil took time to explain the mediation process to me and ensure I was well prepped – both materially and emotionally. The mediation was 11 grueling hours . There was one point when we were negotiating alimony – a real sticking point for me – when Phil looked me straight in the eye and said, “Tracy, that’s a good deal. You need to take it.” I didn’t like it but I took it. No questions asked. And, this is representative of how my whole process went. Throughout one of the most difficult periods of my life when I was at my most vulnerable, Phil was my rock and my protector. I felt strong because I had Phil and Julie in my corner. On one hand, I’m grateful my divorce didn’t end up in court, but on the other hand, I would have loved to see him in action in that setting. He’s strong advocate, great listener and fierce negotiator, but best of all…he’s an overall wonderful human. I would recommend Phil over and over again.

Phil had handled the divorce cases for 2 close friends. They recommended him when it came time for me to file for my divorce. Phil did an amazing job handling my divorce. My case was complex due to my job and investments. Phil made himself available for me to discuss the valuation issues and provide honest and thoughtful feedback to my concerns. He had me prepared and helped me have realistic expectations. He got mediation scheduled promptly and counseled me to do the things I needed to do to get my case settled as quickly as possible. He handled the mediation of my case like a pro and got what I believe was a just and fair settlement given the complexity of the case. His assistant Julie Ennis was on top of things and helped coach me through the financial disclosures. She is very efficient, and we did not waste time or legal fees. Julie is GREAT!!! I settled my divorce in approximately 90 days (the allowable minimum wait) and now I am free to move forward with the rest of my life. Phil treated me as more than a client. He treated me like a friend. I've already recommended Phil to a friend who is facing a divorce. I trust him to do as good of a job for my friend as he did me.

Mr. Newman, his colleagues, partners, and staff assisted me at a time when an unexpected tragedy struck. As I met with him on several occasions I was impressed with his patience in clearly explaining my options, helping me understand what counter-arguments might be used, and what the most likely outcome would be. He immediately acted on the matter by assigning appropriate personnel to investigate, prepare correspondences, explore legal options (even if it meant consulting his partners or outside sources), and respond to any of my inquiries, needs, or concerns. His demeanor was compassionate and supportive, and his support staff continue to stand by me months after the matter settled. In my 34 years experience in law, I have never been so impressed as I am with his full-service firm, and not only recommend PN&M, but would call upon Phil and his firm again.

I have put off writing this review for over a month simply because I just could not find the right words to express my gratitude and appreciation for Phil Newman and Julie Ennis. Divorce can be sticky, ugly, emotional, tough, exhausting, and expensive. While no one will ever say divorce is fun, it can be manageable if you have the right legal counsel leading you through the entire process. I can say that Phil and Julie were the perfect counsel for me. I came to Phil because I had four separate people recommend him both professionally and personally. Julie was just a huge added bonus. What makes them an awesome team? Character. Phil and Julie are good, honest, strong, caring people. In my first meeting with Phil and Julie, they took the time to get to know me, our situation, and what was most important to me. Over the course of the divorce proceedings, we had a lot of laughs, but they were also there handing me kleenex for my tears and offering strength, encouragement, and chocolate when I needed it the most. Knowledge and Experience in Family Law. Plain and simple, Phil and Julie know their stuff. In our first meeting, they explained there is a ninety-day waiting period for divorce when there are children involved. I explained that on day ninety-one, I wanted my divorce final. And on day ninety-one, we were standing in front of the judge finalizing our divorce. They knew what needed to happen, how it needed to happen, and when in needed to happen. It also speaks volumes when you witness multiple other attorneys trying to pick Phil and Julie’s brains. Attention to Detail. Attention to all the filings, attention to timing, attention to what was most important to me, attention to which mediator would be the best fit for our situation, attention to which judge would hear our case and what their ruling would probably be on each specific topic, Phil and Julie thought through everything. Accessibility and Reliability. Day or night, week day or weekend, they were both there for me when/if I needed them. Trust and Comfort. I was able to put the divorce in Phil and Julie’s hands and trust in them. This allowed me to take a step back and focus on all of the other millions of details that go along with a divorce. And most important, it allowed me to focus on taking care of myself and my daughter. While I look forward to keeping in touch with Phil and Julie off the clock, I can say they were worth every penny and I am lucky they agreed to take me on as a client.

When I needed an attorney, I reached out to friends and colleagues for recommendations. Phil was recommended to me by two different people. I interviewed several attorneys that would be willing to work with my husband and me on an amicable divorce. In my initial meeting with Phil, he told me that we were interviewing each other…I wasn’t just interviewing him. It was a difficult decision, but I decided to work with Phil because he kept using the phrase “what’s in the best interest of the children” during our meeting. I didn’t always like what Phil recommended to me, but I believed it was fair and in the best interest of my family. Our divorce was fairly simple and quick. Phil and my ex-husband’s attorney worked extremely well together and were able to advise us and work with us to come to agreement outside of mediation or court. Phil’s value was made abundantly clear after the divorce. Several days after our divorce was final, my ex-husband notified me he was leaving for inpatient rehabilitation for alcohol abuse, which had not been disclosed during the development of the parenting plan or marital dissolution agreement. Phil went above and beyond to help navigate the situation with my children during and after treatment. He continues to do what is in the best interest of my children, and in turn me, even months after our divorce was finalized. When selecting the attorney I was going to work with on my divorce, I didn’t realize I would work with this person for years to come. Phil and I will work together for another 8 years, until my youngest child is 18. I am more comfortable with the decision to work with Phil and his team now more than ever. I have since recommended Phil to friends in need and intend to work with his partners on other Family Law issues, such as wills and trusts.

When faced with an unexpected divorce, I started to research who to work with. A good friend gave me names that were recommended as the best in the Nashville area, and I was pleased to see an old friend Phil Newman at the top of the list. Phil not only is great at what he does, he cared about me as a person during the difficult process. He helped me take the emotion out of some tough decisions, represented me very effectively, and looked out not only for my best interest, but the interest of my kids. Phil and Julie were professional and kept a good pace to reduce the timeframe and expense of a painful process. I appreciated how Phil and his team communicated, followed up and made sure I understood what steps were next, let me know what may or may not happen, and would prepare me both legally and emotionally. I cannot speak highly enough of how my case was handled and would definitely recommend PN&M.

I didn't expect to be going through a divorce at this point in my life so I was coming to the legal process with a lot of fear. I talked to several friends and they - without hesitation - recommended Phil to walk with me through this painful process. What's amazing about that is that Phil represented my friends' SPOUSES in their divorce. Even though he was "on the other side of the table" my friends had such respect for the way Phil conducted himself during the process. Fair, empathetic, sharp - he told me exactly what I needed to hear even though it was sometimes difficult. And Julie! Can't say enough about her as his "right hand man." She was persistent, thorough, and always willing to help. I walked into this needing some guidance through the toughest time of my life. I walked away feeling I not only had exceptional representation - but now had some new friends.

Phil and his team were terrific to work with. He was empathetic but also told me what I needed to hear. Phil was straightforward. He laid out clear options and made recommendations on approach. He was accessible and responsive. Phil went the extra mile to research a topic on the case that was unique. He used his extensive network and relationships to get answers to difficult questions. I highly recommend Phil and his team.

I needed a lawyer because I had decided to file for divorce. I got a referral from a friend for an initial lawyer and called her up. This turned out to be a costly mistake. I got some very bad advice for my unusual case. Two months later I got a referral for Phil Newman from a family friend and he took over my case. From the start I liked Mr. Newman. He is professional, honest, smart, approachable, available when I had questions/concerns, and unlike my first lawyer, I could understand his explanations – I just had to get used to his quick thinking/speaking. My case in total took 9 months, it was very hard, and once Mr. Newman took over I felt comfortable that he was taking good care of me. In the end my case settled the day of trial, and Mr. Newman and his amazing staff helped me get everything I had wanted from the start! I would highly recommend him and his firm!

Phil Newman and his staff were attentive, considerate, and resourceful throughout my challenging case. I can't say enough about how he handled the difficult nature of my situation - with expertise, experience, and attention. Phil is an excellent attorney and was always prepared. I was in good hands and am thankful for the outcome in my case.